Data Governance & Technical Lead (Project Lead)

Curtin Business School MBA; Western Australia; On-site; AUD 143,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

17% superannuation

Full-time 12-month fixed term

Job summary

Curtin University is seeking a Data Governance & Technical Lead – Secure Research Environments to steer governance, compliance and accreditation for a national research platform.

As Project Lead, you will manage scope, risks and milestones across faculties, collaborating with HPC and technical services to deliver secure analytic environments and Aboriginal data sovereignty considerations, on a full-time, 12-month fixed-term contract with excellent benefits.

Qualifications

• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline with extensive relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education/training
• High-level planning, project management and leadership skills, with the ability to manage complex projects and deliver outcomes
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence and build productive relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders
• Sound understanding of governed research access workflows, including ethics approval processes and data access committee operations
• Experience in data engineering and data management, with software development skills and the ability to work across technical and project delivery environments
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders across research, technical and business areas to understand requirements and develop effective solutions

Responsibilities

• Lead project planning, coordination and delivery from initiation through implementation and transition to business-as-usual
• Lead the development of institution-wide governance, compliance, operational, monitoring and accreditation frameworks for Curtin’s secure research and analytics environment
• Develop data classification, access control and governance models aligned with National Data Scheme accreditation requirements
• Lead consultation with faculties, research centres and technical services to identify secure-data research needs and translate these into governance, operational and technical requirements
• Partner with Curtin’s Indigenous research governance units to embed Aboriginal data sovereignty requirements within the secure research environment
• Coordinate with government, defence, health and industry partners to co-design bespoke secure analytical environments
• Manage project scope, risks, resources, timelines and stakeholder expectations to deliver agreed outcomes

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Data governance

Data engineering

Software development

Education

Postgraduate qualification

Experience equivalent

Job description

• Full time, 12 month fixed term contract (possibility of extension)
• Competitive remuneration + 17% super contributions
• Ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide (ARWU 2025)

Reference Number: 1661338

About the Role

Curtin University is establishing a university-wide secure data research ecosystem to support national and international sensitive-data research collaborations. As the Data Governance & Technical Lead – Secure Research Environments (Project Lead), you will lead the governance, compliance and accreditation workstream supporting this major initiative. Working closely with the High Performance Computing (HPC) Lead, you will shape Curtin’s secure research environment and ensure it meets institutional, state, Commonwealth and sector accreditation requirements. You will manage project scope, governance, resources, risks and stakeholder expectations to deliver key milestones and outcomes. This is a high-profile opportunity to work across faculties and engage with stakeholders at all levels, bringing together diverse areas of expertise to deliver critical research infrastructure. You will help build Curtin’s capability in secure research and contribute to a project with significant university-wide impact, providing an excellent opportunity to broaden your experience and progress your career.

Your responsibilities will include

• Lead project planning, coordination and delivery from initiation through implementation and transition to business-as-usual
• Lead the development of institution-wide governance, compliance, operational, monitoring and accreditation frameworks for Curtin’s secure research and analytics environment
• Develop data classification, access control and governance models aligned with National Data Scheme (DAT Act) accreditation requirements
• Lead consultation with faculties, research centres and technical services to identify secure-data research needs and translate these into governance, operational and technical requirements
• Partner with Curtin’s Indigenous research governance units to embed Aboriginal data sovereignty requirements within the secure research environment
• Coordinate with government, defence, health and industry partners to co-design bespoke secure analytical environments
• Manage project scope, risks, resources, timelines and stakeholder expectations to deliver agreed outcomes

Who we are looking for (selection criteria)

• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline with extensive relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education/training
• High-level planning, project management and leadership skills, with the ability to manage complex projects and deliver outcomes
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence and build productive relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders
• Sound understanding of governed research access workflows, including ethics approval processes and data access committee operations
• Experience in data engineering and data management, with software development skills and the ability to work across technical and project delivery environments
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders across research, technical and business areas to understand requirements and develop effective solutions

Desirable

• Knowledge of, and experience in, the tertiary education sector and/or defence, health or government sectors
• Experience applying Indigenous data governance principles, including the CARE Principles

Role Requirements

1. As this is a fixed-term contract, you will require current work rights in Australia that match the tenure of this role
2. Successful applicants are subject to a National Police Clearance, and background, integrity, and reference checks to Curtin’s satisfaction
3. This role requires that the successful candidate must undergo and maintain an up-to-date Working with Children Check

School of Population Health

The School of Population Health is dedicated to improving health and wellbeing outcomes for communities both locally and globally. Bringing together expertise across public health, psychology and interdisciplinary health fields, the School is recognised for its collaborative culture, innovative teaching and impactful research. Home to a dynamic community of academics, researchers and industry-connected professionals, the School is committed to addressing some of today’s most significant health challenges - from mental health and emerging diseases to climate change, population growth and health equity. Through its strong focus on education, research and community engagement, the School continues to shape the next generation of health professionals and create meaningful impact across the health sector.

About Curtin University

Curtin University proudly stands among the top one percent of global universities according to the ARWU 2025 rankings. We are an energetic, dedicated team of academics and professionals working together to provide global solutions through quality graduates and innovative research. Curtin is a welcoming space where integrity, respect for one another, courage, excellence, and impact are essential to everyday life. First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, parents, carers, people of all ages, abilities and genders, and people of diverse ethnicity, nationality and faith are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live. For more information, please visit our Diversity and Inclusion page - https://staff.curtin.edu.au/discover-curtin/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-curtin/

What We Offer You

This is a full time, 12 month fixed term contract position (possibility of extension), with a salary range between $142,841 - $150,891 (G09) per annum, plus 17% superannuation.

Situated on Whadjuk Nyungar Country, our vibrant Bentley campus includes an art gallery, gym, childcare and medical centre, bus station, accessible parking and endless food options including a supermarket. Aside from the vibrant campus life, we offer more than just a job. Curtin offers a wide range of generous benefits, including additional leave, salary packaging, health and wellbeing services and an array of discounts for retail, travel and much more.

For more reasons to work at Curtin, please visit https://staff.curtin.edu.au/discover-curtin/

Applications close: 8:00pm (AWST) on Sunday, 15 November 2026.

Late applications or applications received via email will not be considered, and only successful candidates will be contacted.

Please note we are not accepting applications from recruitment agencies at this time.

Curtin reserves the right at its sole discretion to withdraw from the recruitment process, not to make an appointment, or to appoint by invitation, at any time. We reserve the right to remove the advert earlier than the date on the advert.